


Birds of a Feather

by SveaShan



Category: Black Sails, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Awkwardness, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 22:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19186960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SveaShan/pseuds/SveaShan
Summary: Regency-AU Pride and Prejudice crossover: John Silver inherits trouble while James McGraw is a lieutenant on sick leave who just wants some peace and quiet.





	Birds of a Feather

**Author's Note:**

> Art by the lovely [ellelan](https://ellelan.tumblr.com/)!

_J. Bennet, Esq._  
_Longbourn House_  
_Longbourn, Meryton, Hertfordshire_  
_11th March_

_Dear Mr. Collins,_

_I do hope that you are well and that you have had success with your endeavours in Southend. As it happens, I myself have been toying with the idea of coming down there myself to fetch you and accompany you to Longbourn, provided that your offer to visit still stands. My family and I are eager to finally make your acquaintance - my two youngest daughters especially! We do hope you are going to find all to your liking when you arrive here. Surely you will not keep us waiting for much longer?_  
_If we manage to find a date suitable for us both I will be most glad to see to your safe passage here myself. Do let me know when it will be convenient for you. Perhaps, if chance allows it, you will arrive at around the same time as a party of four gentlemen and two ladies whom the neighbourhood is most excited to meet and who are due to come here any day now._  
_Until we meet in person at last, I remain_

_Yours sincerely,_

_J. Bennet, Esq._

 

John Silver, after having read the letter from start to finish three times, stood turning it over in his hands, staring out of the drawing room window into the cold Southend evening. The soft rain falling into the small garden outside mixed well with the sound of the fire in the grate. He was warm, had just returned from a pleasant but not overly fancy supper, and was looking forward to spending the rest of the night in peaceful silence. Overall, he had little to complain about when it came to his current lodgings, had it not been for the piece of paper in his hand. He had half a mind to simply throw the letter into the fire and to let (to borrow Mr. Bennet’s words), chance allow further dealings with this business.

The addressee, Mr. Collins, was currently in no fit state to receive it anyways, since he was lying dead in his room upstairs. A copy of his will, well-studied by both the solicitor and Silver himself was placed on his bedside table. The only real object of interest for anybody in it was what Mr. Bennet had so carefully danced around in the letter to his late cousin. That, upon Mr. Collins’ untimely death, and in the absence of a legitimate male heir, all which he should have inherited from Mr. Bennet would go to his ‘trusted servant and faithful friend’ John Silver.

He had known about the relations Mr. Collins had in Longbourn near the town of Meryton, but if his writings were any indication Mr. Bennet was not overly fond of his cousin and heir. Poor fellow; five daughters and the only heir a man like Mr. Collins. Almost four years in his service had made Silver sympathetic to what he interpreted from the too-friendly tone of Mr. Bennet. Perhaps him going to Longbourn would be a meeting of the minds, and help Silver get over his initial dislike of the place. Of course Mr. Bennet would be bitter still about the fact that even though his heir was deceased he was bound to lose his house and possessions eventually. And to a total stranger at that!

Silver, feeling suddenly very tired, remembered his employer urging him to contact the Bennets immediately and pay them an extended visit. The emphasis he had placed on the word ‘extended’ had sent Silver into musings on how to best avoid such a prospect. Faking his own death and leaving for America would certainly be too much paperwork, what with drawing up a will of his own to at least try and appease Mr. Bennet and all that. 

Heaving a deep sigh Silver left the drawing room and wandered into the spacious but well-stocked library where he flung himself into an armchair by the fire. The letter he threw onto the small table next to him. He wondered what would have happened had not the post misplaced it and delivered it in time. Now, two weeks after it had been sent, the evening after Mr. Collins drew his last breath only hours before, he was a bit surprised that Mr. Bennet had not tried to take up correspondence once more. If all had gone better, he would have accompanied the two men to meet the family, and would have come to dreaded Longbourn one way or another. It was really no use delaying the inevitable. He would have to write to Mr. Bennet informing him of the unfortunate situation they were now both entangled in. A tenant for Mr. Collins’ house would have to be found, but this task he could very well leave to the solicitor. 

A knock at the door prevented him from thinking about the other matter which he had banned from his mind until then. 

“Yes,” he called, and nodded in greeting when he saw that it was Max, a friend of a friend of Mr. Collins’.

“I was wondering if you wanted to have a cup of tea or maybe coffee before bed,” she said. Her eyes fell on the letter. “Good news or bad?”

“Neither yet. I’m afraid that I must leave your wonderful company as soon as Mr. Collins is six feet under. I have a family to meet.” He winced at the idea of people constantly fussing over him and five young women to pay attention to at the same time. 

She smiled sympathetically. “I had a feeling it would come to this. The Bennets in Longbourn, yes?”

Silver nodded and got up. “I’d very much like that coffee, thank you.”

They went into the dining room where Eleanor Guthrie was already sitting, a steaming cup in front of her and busily scribbling into a notebook. Upon their entrance she shot a cool glance at Max; the two women hadn’t been on good terms lately, and Silver always felt like standing in the way whenever he was in the same room with them. Her father had generously allowed Eleanor to stay in this house and entertain as many lodgers or guests as she pleased, but Silver couldn’t really be grateful for that since he had never met the man himself. In some ways, he was glad to be leaving so soon.

“I’ve arranged matters concerning the funeral. The day after tomorrow is convenient for you I hope?”

“Very much, yes. Thank you again for letting us stay with you.” 

Max handed him his coffee and a plate of biscuits. 

“Oh, Miss Guthrie,” he said, “may I please have a sheet of paper and a pencil? I need to write to Mr. Bennet and inform him of everything that has happened.”

She handed him what he had asked for wordlessly, and he exchanged a glance with Max, who just shrugged her shoulders. 

When he had composed a letter to his liking he made to leave for the post office himself, wanting to get out of the tense atmosphere of the house and get some fresh air. Max announced that she would come with him, and ten minutes later they started down the path that led away from the house.

“I wish I could leave here too, just for a few days at least,” she sighed, drawing her scarf tighter around her shoulders. “When she gets like this it is almost impossible to breathe in her direction.”

“I’m sorry that I cannot offer any advice on how to deal with her. But,” he said, and turned towards her, “perhaps you could get away. How does Longbourn, Hertfordshire sound? I’m sure my new friends have room for one more guest.”

Her eyes lit up; he had obviously said the right thing. She was just so much easier to talk to than anyone he had met in the last few weeks. 

“This does sound like a plan indeed. But you’ve already written your letter to the gentleman.”

“Not to worry; I’ll just add an additional, not to be misplaced note at the post office. His daughters will surely be delighted to have somebody more suited to their company than me.”

“Well, as far as I understood Mr. Collins you should probably get used to the idea of spending rather a lot of time with one of them. Forgive me if I spoke out of line,” she quickly added when she saw a sour expression pass over his face.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he said, but it was too late. The most horrifying aspect of his extended stay at Longbourn was now fully back in his mind. Since Mr. Collins had intended to wed one of the Bennet daughters sooner rather than later, it had been silently agreed that this task, too, should fall to Silver. 

Marriage! he thought, and shuddered. America suddenly sounded so much more delightful. But then he looked at Max again, and her smile reassured him that with her at his side, he would at least have the advantage of having a friend in a house full of strangers.

***

“You know, when you said that this trip would be like a holiday, I didn’t imagine it being quite so tiresome as it is right now.”

“I’m sorry,” Silver said, “but I have a feeling that it won’t get much better for some time. Not until we’re safely settled around the Bennet table at Longbourn House I’m afraid.”

Max sighed and proceeded to stare out of the carriage window at the first stretches of wood beyond the road. Four hours since they had met with Mr. Bennet and climbed into the vehicle, four long hours of awkward anecdotes and laughter that was at times a tad too loud to be genuine. Silver didn’t blame her for feeling exhausted, not when he was yearning for a drink and a more comfortable seat than the one he was currently occupying himself. He opened the door, and poking his head out looked for their third companion. 

“He seems like the kind of man who meets a friend at every inn he visits,” Max said. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was looking for a son-in-law or two either. What’s taking him so long?”

He caught sight of the driver who shrugged his shoulders when Silver shot him a questioning look. For him and the horses at least this was a welcome opportunity to rest and refresh, even if it caused Silver to fidget and bob his leg up and down. Max placed a hand on his arm and smiled at him reassuringly. He returned it with little sincerity.

At last he heard footsteps approaching, and soon enough the carriage door swung open and Mr. Bennet climbed back in.

“Forgive me for keeping you waiting, but it just so happened that I met an old acquaintance in there. The world is small indeed!”

Silver agreed while Max hid her laugh behind a cough. 

“So, Mr. Silver,” he said as the carriage began to rattle once more, “I think if we keep up the speed we have right now we should be able to make it to Longbourn tonight already. You won’t be inconvenienced if we deal with all matters of introduction in the morning I hope?”

“Not at all, sir. Truth be told, my friend and I could use some rest before meeting your family.” 

Mr. Bennet nodded, and excused himself before closing his eyes and resting his head back against the cushion. Silver watched the way he folded his hands above his stomach, the place where Silver knew he kept his purse. An interesting habit; by the looks of him his coat and boots would get a thief more than what was in the small cloth bag, but then again, what did he know. He wasn’t here to steal from the man, but one never knew how a journey like this might turn out. Max looked up at him, a glint in her eyes that showed him she was thinking the exact same thing.

On they went through the twilight, past rolling fields and the occasional wood. Mr. Bennet awoke a few times from his slumber, but never long enough to join in their conversation. They kept their voices low, not wanting the driver to catch what they exchanged about their assumptions of the family they were soon to meet. Whispering and giggling like school children, they found that time passed much more pleasantly and quickly. 

Mr. Bennet had been right with his prediction as it turned out. Silver’s pocket watch told him that it was just after one in the morning when the carriage passed a gravel drive and at last came to a halt. Leading his guests quickly into the house, Mr. Bennet hoped to avoid Mr. Silver inspecting it too closely, even though it was quite impossible to do so with only the moonlight to aid him. 

“Miss Finch here will show you to your room, miss,” he said to Max when the door had fallen shut behind the driver carrying their trunks. A middle-aged, pleasant looking woman stepped forward and led her up the stairs. 

“If you will follow me, Mr. Silver,” Mr. Bennet said. “I’ll have Turner bring your things into your chamber.” The driver nodded once and followed the women into the upper floor.

They crossed the hall and went into the library, where the fire was still burning low in the grate. As comfortable as the room certainly was, it was at the moment the last place Silver wanted to be. He could guess what his host had in mind, what still required discussion at this hour. 

“Have a seat.” When Silver had obeyed Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. “Mr. Silver. Please forgive me for getting straight to the heart of the matter. You see, I was never very close to my cousin, but I am devastated at this loss. As his friend you can understand my feeling of course.”

Silver nodded, inwardly bracing himself and doing his best to keep his countenance as neutral as he could.

“I was rather surprised at his will, as you can imagine. None of us had any idea that his heir would be an employee, but of course we respect his decision. Now, as it stands, you are surely aware of Mr. Collins’ plans to make one of my lovely daughters his wife, so that they can live here together once I am gone.”

Here it comes, Silver thought.

“My wife, I feel I must warn you, is going to be even more passionate about this delicate subject than I am. Please don’t think that I mean to pry into your personal business, but you would make us the happiest of parents if we knew one of our girls will be safely secured here for years to come. My fortune, I fear, is not very great, and all my wife and I want is for our daughters to be able to live comfortable and happily.”

“I understand your concerns, my dear Mr. Bennet, and I thank you for trusting me with your worries. Although I cannot promise you that what you want to hear from me, I will assure you that from tomorrow on I will look most fondly on all of your daughters, and get acquainted with them all most warmly.”

Silver hated how easily the words came to him, but Mr. Bennet seemed to be pleased to hear them. There was no way, there could be no way, where he would meet these girls tomorrow and see only property to be gained in all of them. They say that one cannot buy love, but whoever came up with this forgot to mention the other side inevitably attached to this bargain. No, he thought, the Bennet girls would not fight for his attention if he could help it. 

“You don’t know how happy you make me by saying this, Mr. Silver, and I can assure you my wife is going to feel the same. I won’t keep you for much longer if you want to retire to bed. Turner will be waiting for you in the hall.”

They parted with just the right amount of pleasantries and Silver let the driver lead him upstairs. His room was small but looked comfortable enough. Turner retreated wordlessly, leaving him to dress for bed and get under the covers. He heard somebody move in the room next to his, the soft sound of creaking floorboards adding to the other white noise of the Longbourn night. Sleep didn’t come to him for almost another hour, and he turned from side to side until he had to untangle himself from the sheets and force himself to lay still. His last thought was of Max and how he hoped that she had found their arrival more to her liking than he had. 

 

He woke earlier than he would have liked the next morning, courtesy to both sunlight streaming into his room and the sound of at least three whispering voices outside his door in the hall. Remembering where he was and why he was there he groaned and decided that facing this task head-on was better than letting it sit and grew more tedious with every passing day. Dressed and freshly shaved he opened his bedroom door, but the space there was empty. He followed the usual household sounds of breakfasting down into the dining room, where upon his entrance everyone fell silent at once. 

“Mr. Silver, good morning!” Mr. Bennet got up to shake his hand and gestured to the empty chair at the head of the table. “Sit, sit. We didn’t want to wake you, so I hope you got a good night’s rest.”

“I did, thank you very much.” When he was seated he quickly looked at the six other people at the table. The two youngest were giggling and blushing, undoubtedly ready to sprint out of the room any moment to discuss the new arrival. One had her eyes set firmly on a book in front of her and didn’t as much as cast one glance at him until her mother, a brilliant smile on her face, nudged her once with her elbow. Then there were two others, clearly the eldest and most composed of the bunch. They were smiling with genuine friendliness and intrigue in their eyes. Silver was sympathetic towards them at once.

“May I introduce my wife and, from your right to left, my daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, Kitty, and lastly Lydia.”

They all nodded at him in turn, and he did his best to memorise who was who and look friendly in the process. He wondered if Max was still asleep or if she was avoiding this scene in her room. Mrs. Bennet answered his question even before he could say a word.

“Your friend said she was feeling a bit unwell and weary of travel, so I had a tray sent up for her. I hope it’s nothing serious?”

“Oh no, I dare say she will be up and refreshed again in no time. I can imagine that she is not easily beaten by something like this.”

“Imagine!” said Mrs. Bennet, “my dear Mr. Silver, I thought you two were close friends!”

Elizabeth, one of the elder sisters, shot a glance at her mother before looking at Silver apologetically. 

“We are friends, yes, but have only met a few weeks ago. Surely she will find companions in your lovely daughters just as fast as that, if not even quicker.”

His hostess nodded, and Mr. Bennet took over the thread of conversation. Breakfast lasted for more than an hour and consisted mainly of the girls interrogating Silver about any and all things they could come up with. He downed cup after cup of coffee which resulted in him feeling more than awake by the time Mr. Bennet turned to him and said, “Mr. Silver, I have a favour to ask of you. My family have been urging me to wait on the newcomers I told Mr. Collins about in my letter, a party that has just taken up residence at Netherfield, not far from here. Would you do me the honour of coming with me to meet them? I can show you a bit of the neighbourhood at the same time.”

The excited chatter this request caused from the girls made it impossible for him to refuse. He couldn’t believe that one could make somebody else as happy as they were by him assenting to their father, and it was decided that they would leave in an hour’s time. Just before they were off he knocked on Max’ door, and explained his plans for the day when she bade him come in. 

“Sounds like you killed two birds with one stone,” she said, looking well rested and decidedly less weary than Mrs. Bennet had made it sound over breakfast. “You get out of the house and meet possible friends in the process.”

 

“I’m not here to make friends, but thank you for trying to set me up with someone.”

“Anytime,” she grinned, and he left to join Mr. Bennet in the hall. The walk to Netherfield was more pleasant than he had imagined; the air was warm and the first blossoms of spring lined their paths, some even buzzing with bees already. When the house itself came into view Silver could not help feeling impressed at its size, the neatly trimmed hedges and flower beds outside the front door and the general air it gave off, a feeling of belonging to this area perfectly.

They were shown to the drawing room by a serene butler, and did not have to wait for long to meet the current inhabitants. Four gentlemen entered, followed by two elegantly dressed ladies of about twenty-five. Silver’s eyes flew over them all and came to rest on one of the men who was set apart from the others by both the uniform he was wearing as well as a look on his face that said he clearly didn’t want to be in this room.

“Mr. Bennet, what a pleasure to make your acquaintance!” the youngest of the group exclaimed, happily turning to his companions. “My name is Bingley, and these are my sisters, Mrs. Hurst ad Miss Bingley.” The two curtsied in response to Mr. Bennet and Silver’s light bows.

“And these are my good friends, Mr. Hurst,” upon which the oldest in the round nodded his head, “Lieutenant McGraw,” the uniformed man bowed his head, “and finally Mr. Darcy.” When this last, a tall, stern looking gentleman had been introduced Mr. Bennet quickly returned the gesture and he and Silver were asked to sit with them for a while.

“I apologize for not being able to entertain you for long, though,” Bingley said, “but Darcy, McGraw and I were just about to head out with the horses for a few hours. My sisters and brother-in-law will be happy to stay with you here if you would be so kind and excuse the rest of us.”

While Mr. Bennet kept up conversation with Bingley, Silver took to watching the others. The sisters were casting him a few bored glances every now and then, while Darcy and the lieutenant were quietly engaged in a conversation of their own. The latter, when Silver briefly caught his eye at one time, could not look more unenthusiastic about the prospect of riding out if he tried. He did not return Silver’s smile of sympathy, whereupon Silver’s face grew hot and he began listening to Bingley instead. All the while he felt like he was being watched and assessed by every person in the room, and his skin prickled uncomfortably.

“Why, of course we would be delighted to join you for dinner!” Mr. Bingley was just saying. “If it is not too much trouble for your staff to organise that is.”

“On the contrary,” Mr. Bennet chuckled, “my wife has had a plan like this up her sleeve for some time now. Let’s fix eight o’clock tonight if it is convenient for you all.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hurst declined the offer as they already had an engagement with a family in Meryton, but they promised to make up the lost opportunity as soon as possible. The rest of them, the lieutenant with what Silver guessed was false sincerity, agreed to the plan heartily. A few minutes later they made their farewells and Mr. Bennet and Silver were on their way back to Longbourn again. 

“What a charming fellow this Mr. Bingley is! His friends seem a bit cold, but I’m sure they’re just shy.”

Silver thought about the cold eyes of the lieutenant but refrained from commenting. He decided that he could very well do without him at dinner, and had to suppress a laugh when he remembered what Max had said earlier about him meeting new friends at this place. Mr. Bennet talked on and on about the new neighbours, how charming dinner was certainly going to be and how glad he was that three of the gentlemen seemed to be single. 

“Mrs. Bennet will be delighted when she hears that one of them is a navy man! And the girls at that!”

He received a murmured reply, and they continued on their way engaged in a rather one-sided conversation.

***

The rest of the day was spent in excited chatter and planning on the female part of the house, and sitting around feeling useless when it came to Silver. He had related everything of interest to Max as soon as he had found the time, and in turn she had told him about how lovely the elder sisters were, Jane especially. 

“Perhaps you and that lieutenant can sulk together!” she had laughed when he had told her about his cool gaze and bored air. “Cheer up, John. It’s not like they expect wedding bells when the day is done. Extended visit, remember?”

“You’re right, you’re right. But I’d rather not sulk with the man. And I’m certain he feels the same. When you meet him tonight please tell me that I’m not alone in thinking that he dislikes me.”

Max had laughed even harder at the look on his face, and had excused herself when Jane had knocked and asked if she wanted a tour of the garden.

After he had declined a cigar offered by Mr. Bennet Silver had gone out and began wandering along a wooded path himself. It was a lovely day, hotter than it had been in the morning but not oppressively so. He followed a little stream in the general direction of Meryton, and at last left the trees to walk up a grassy hill overlooking a stretch of the landscape. The peaceful quiet was only interrupted by a group of riders in the valley below the hill; he spotted the lieutenant’s blue coat and heard Bingley’s laugh even from where he was standing. He watched them leisurely catch up to Mr. Darcy and tried to see whether McGraw’s mood had altered or if he had to prepare for a dinner filled with icy glares and monosyllabic answers. From what he could tell given the distance McGraw looked more at ease on horseback than he had in the house, but he might be mistaken. Laughing at his own stupid concerns he turned back to the path that led to the house, determined to let the matter go and not be annoyed by a man he had met only hours before. 

 

At shortly before eight that evening they were all assembled in the drawing room waiting for the guests to arrive. Max, as Silver was happy to observe, was sitting deep in conversation with Jane and Elizabeth. Kitty and Lydia were watching the drive through the window, and Mary was reading. Mrs. Bennet jumped when Lydia cried that a carriage was approaching, and soon enough they heard Turner show the party into the house. Silver watched Mrs. Bennet practically bursting with excitement during the introductions, and inwardly shook his head when she heard that, “the only taken man was unfortunately otherwise occupied.”

He avoided McGraw as best as he could, and when they were all going into the dining room he fell back to quickly compare notes with Max.

“I don’t know, John, but he seemed to be perfectly civil. Not at all as cold and unfriendly as you made him out to be.”

“Perhaps it’s just me then,” Silver murmured as he followed behind Elizabeth and Jane. This time Mr. Bennet sat at the head of the table, leaving him to take a seat with Mary and Mr. Darcy on either side and Max just opposite him. He resolved to ignore McGraw who was on her right and instead talk to Mary. The first course was a welcome distraction from his efforts; as it turned out Mary was not too keen to talk about books with someone who confessed that no, he had never read a word of Shakespeare and was also not too informed about contemporary literary goings-on. He could have sworn that he heard the lieutenant laugh when he said this, but when he looked up his face was perfectly composed. Silver returned his attention back to the plate in front of him.

Since neither Mary nor Mr. Darcy were suitable conversation partners to him he decided to listen to what everybody else was saying. Bingley and Jane were talking animatedly at the other end of the table, while Kitty and Lydia were questioning Miss Bingley about London and some of the latest fashion. Mr. Bennet had Max’ attention while his wife was positively interrogating McGraw. Silver quickly looked away when he turned his eyes on him and didn’t spare him another glance until the ladies left the men to their brandy and cigars and retreated into the drawing room. 

Silver passed again on a cigar and instead busied himself with his drink. 

“Not fond of these things either I take it?” He jumped when he heard the lieutenant’s voice at his elbow. In his effort to ignore him he hadn’t noticed him leaving his seat at all. 

“I find it a rather strange addition to what is supposed to be animated conversation.”

“An interesting position,” McGraw nodded, “and perhaps the reason why my friend Darcy over there seems so fond of his cigar right now.”

Silver looked in the direction of the others and found Darcy cornered by Mr. Bennet, Bingley laughing next to him. When he turned back around he was startled to see that the lieutenant’s countenance had visibly altered, and that a smile was playing around his lips. 

“Mr. Silver isn’t it?” When he nodded yes McGraw looked at him somewhat sheepishly. “I feel like I must apologise for my behaviour earlier today. You undoubtedly must have thought me incredibly rude.”

“Not to worry,” Silver was quick to reply, “I was admittedly too eager to brand you as someone entirely opposed to the idea of company this morning that I refused to give you a proper chance.”

McGraw looked at his friends and said, “Well, here’s your proper chance. Would you mind showing me around the garden a bit? I need some fresh air after this,” he said, waving his hand around.

“I’ll make our excuses with our host,” Silver said. He was cautious when he led McGraw out onto the gravel path and past the carriage into the garden. Somehow this felt like some type of test, and he would rather not find out what happened if he failed it.

They wandered around for a few yards not saying a word. It was still dusk, the sort of light that enabled one to see where one was going but which did not give away too many details of the surroundings, or of faces for that matter.

“So you are the replacement for Mr. Bennet’s cousin if I understood it correctly?”

Silver confirmed this, inwardly admiring the direct approach with which McGraw talked. Somehow it was so much more bearable than the constant sugarcoating that seemed to be the preferred way of conversation in the Bennet household.

“Are you also somebody’s replacement?” Silver asked facetiously.

He laughed, but denied the question.

“I came here under the promise of fresh air and plenty of exercise. A few weeks ago I was involved in an accident, nothing too severe, but I did have to spend a good amount of time in medical care.”

Silver hummed to signal that he was listening. 

“It fit that Bingley and Darcy had been planning to retreat to the country for quite some time now. I pulled a few strings and was allowed to accompany them here.”

They rounded a corner and stopped walking to take in what was visible of the new view. Beyond the gardens of Longbourn came stretches of field and even further, a row of trees indicating the beginning of a forest. In the sky Silver could already see a handful of stars, but being unable to tell the individual constellations apart he soon looked away again.

“It is very peaceful here, indeed,” Silver said, pointedly not thinking about the house full of Bennets. “You’re a London man originally?” He wasn’t sure why he was asking until he remembered Max saying something about making friends here. He had a feeling that an ally like the lieutenant would be good to have, if anything for a change of scenery every now and then.

“I live in the city, yes, but I wasn’t born there,” came the rather vague reply. Silver nodded but didn’t press any further.

“Have you noticed that Mrs. Bennet has been seeming very eager to get her daughters acquainted with as many young men as possible this evening by the way?” McGraw asked, and Silver jumped gladly at the change of the subject.

“This evening? It has been going on since I arrived, possibly even before that,” Silver said, frowning. “Has she directed her attention to you as well?”

“She has certainly been considering it as far as I can tell. I think sooner or later she’ll realise that it’s of no use.”

“You’re already committed to someone then?” Silver asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.

“I suppose you could say that,” McGraw replied, sounding rather uneasy. It also sounded a lot like a lie.

Before either of them could muse on Mrs. Bennet’s plans any longer, they were interrupted by a voice calling from the direction of the house. It was Bingley looking for his friend, telling him that even though it had been a much enjoyable night, they had to be getting back to Netherfield.

“Besides, we have just settled on a ball I will be giving at Netherfield soon! McGraw, you know a thing or two about decor, I’ll desperately need your expertise!”

“I’ll be seeing you around for a while I suppose?” McGraw said and held out his hand to Silver.

“I suppose so as well,” he replied, and they shook hands quickly. Silver watched them walk back to the house, and followed after a few minutes more.

***

A few days after the dinner, Jane received a letter from Bingley’s sisters inviting her to the house for an evening. She left for Netherfield in a torrent of rain, her mother arguing that that way she might get a little sick and would have to stay at the house for some time. 

The next morning’s post made at least one of Mrs. Bennet’s wishes come true: Jane had indeed caught a cold and was unable to leave Netherfield for at least a week. Her mother was positively ecstatic over breakfast, relating the news to everyone more than once and without a doubt already making wedding plans in her head.

Silver, to whom this turn of events mattered only insofar as that it might mean one point of pressure on him less, still pitied Jane’s fate, and found two like-minded people in Max and Elizabeth.

“I just can’t believe Mother let her go like that,” the latter remarked angrily when the three of them were alone for a minute in the drawing room. “And on purpose!”

“She will be fine,” Max said, “though I have known her for only a little time I can say with some certainty that she is sure to make something out of this unfortunate situation.”

Because Silver’s knowledge of illnesses was more than limited he didn’t comment on the two women’s opinions. He did however wonder what it must be like to lie sick in bed in a house like Netherfield, surrounded at all times by those two sisters and the group of four jumbled-together gentlemen. He felt a wave of pity wash over him. The only tolerable people in that whole house would have to be the lieutenant and Darcy, with whom one could more likely than not enjoy long stretches of silence as opposed to constant chatter and gossip.

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully, but when Silver and Max descended the stairs around midday, they became aware of a commotion in the dining room. It sounded as though Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth were about to get at each other’s throats any second, and after a shared glance they went into the room to see if the could help prevent a massacre.

“Mother, I apologise, but you must understand that under no circumstances can I let Jane stay in that house on her own any longer! You must understand that!”

“If you think that I don’t know what’s best for one of my own daughters, you are gravely mistaken,” said Mrs. Bennet shrilly.

Silver wished to God that Mr. Bennet would come in and end this soon. When Mrs. Bennet turned and spotted the two of them standing in the doorway she changed demeanour so rapidly that Silver almost jumped.

“Oh my, I didn’t realise we had an audience,” she said sweetly. “I’m so embarrassed that I didn’t see you there sooner. Do you need anything?”

Max was quicker than Silver with her reply, and decidedly more composed. “Thank you, but no. We were only worried about the tumult, and wanted to see if we could help in any way.”

It took some effort for Silver not to raise his eyebrows in surprise at that. Mrs. Bennet however seemed to work something out in her mind very fast, because she turned to Silver with a suddenly pleading look on her face.

“Well, now that you mention that,” she said, “if my daughter insists on going out on foot to see her poor sister, I would certainly feel much better and more at ease if she had company. Someone to look out for her and take care that she is in good hands with our neighbours.”

Her real objective dawned on Silver, and he was about to invent an excuse not to go when he saw that both Max and Elizabeth were pointedly looking at him. 

“It would be my pleasure,” he eventually said, “when did you plan on leaving?”

“Right now,” was Elizabeth’s prompt reply, “if it is convenient for you of course.”

He agreed that this was so, and in less than half an hour they were on their way to Netherfield. On foot the journey took them a good hour or so, but they found that they had a few things they could talk about to make time pass more quickly. Silver, contrary to all expectations, found himself actually enjoying the walk, listening to Elizabeth pointing out the various landmarks of notice and her favourite spots to rest and read. An enormous oak, which was almost three hundred years old according to his companion, caught Silver’s attention immediately. 

“Oh yes, it’s the ideal spot to just sit and think if you need it. I really cannot tell you how often I’ve gone there to clear my head,” Elizabeth said. 

When they rounded the next corner Netherfield came into view, as grand as ever, and contrasting rather crossly with their muddied shoes and red faces. But if Silver knew anything about Elizabeth it was that things like this mattered even less to her than they did to him, and so without hesitation she pulled the door bell.

The butler that opened the door looked at them as if he was sure they had gotten the wrong house, but when Elizabeth explained who they were he reluctantly let them in. They were shown into the drawing room once again, and he heard several chairs scrape over the floor when the butler announced them. 

Both Mr. Darcy and the lieutenant nodded their heads at them once but continued to speak amongst themselves. Mr. Bingley attended to Elizabeth at once, offered them both a seat and made sure to tell her all about Jane’s condition.

“Dear brother, you make it sound too severe,” one of his sisters said. “She is perfectly fine, just a bit under the weather is all.”

“But it is admirable that you have come all this way to see her,” the other one chimed in. Her disapproving glance at their dirty clothes however suggested otherwise.

“I would very much like to see her now, if she is in the right condition to have visitors,” Elizabeth said. The Bingley siblings accompanied her upstairs, and Silver, for a lack of better things to do, wandered around the drawing room. Darcy had by now retreated to a writing desk, and the lieutenant was busy reading this morning’s paper. 

Eventually Silver settled down and took a seat in a narrow alcove window. When he looked around the room once more he saw that the lieutenant was watching him. 

“If you need anything to pass the time, you can just ask either of us,” he said. Mr. Darcy looked up, distracted, but he nodded. “Do you fancy a book or a game of cards?”

“Who is planning a game of cards?” said a new voice from the door. Mr. Hurst came striding into the room, and immediately he moved towards the card table. “Darcy, you look content enough over there, but let’s be nice to our guest and favour him with a game of bridge. Our new friend here has the looks of a true master of the cards!”

“Thank you for your kind words,” Silver said, feeling highly uncomfortable by everyone’s eyes suddenly upon him, “but I’m afraid I don’t play too well to warrant an enjoyable game for you.”

“Nonsense, nonsense! McGraw, Darcy, come over here and we will set everything up to teach Mr. Silver the ways of a good game of cards.”

They obeyed, Darcy rather reluctantly, and seeing no way out of the matter Silver sat down at the table with them. 

“Darcy, I think you are the best at bridge between us. You pair up with Mr. Silver and I’ll see how well I match with the lieutenant here.” Mr. Hurst clapped him on the shoulder amiably and they sat, two opposite two, and the game began.

It hadn’t been a complete lie on Silver’s part about not being a good player. But as soon as he had found out and remembered how Darcy dealt with his cards, he began imitating him and slowly but surely felt that he got the hang of it. Mr. Hurst kept up a consistent wave of idle chatting, to which no one really could respond. Once Silver looked up at the same time as the lieutenant, and when he saw the utter exasperation in the other’s eyes he almost burst out laughing. The first game ended in a victory of Silver and Darcy, much to everyone’s surprise.

“Well, my friend,” Mr. Hurst laughed, “let’s see how it’ll turn out with a different pair. McGraw, Darcy, please change places and then we’ll go into the second game!”

When they had done so, the lieutenant turned to Silver and murmured, “So either you were very lucky with Darcy just now or you are one of the most versed liars I’ve met in a long time.”

Silver smirked, but instead of answering looked into his cards intently. He played with the idea of keeping his partner in the dark about his skills at bridge, or lack thereof, curious as to how it would affect their game. Seeing McGraw’s brow furrowed and an occasional confused look in his eyes delighted Silver more than he had thought it would, and when he made a rather risky move towards the end of the game which payed off spectacularly, the other shot him an incredulous glance. 

“Two victories in a row,” he remarked during the ensuing break for drinks. “I’m still undecided about you as a player, Mr. Silver.”

“We’ve only just met,” Silver replied, “I think it would be boring if I told you all of my secrets immediately, wouldn’t you agree?”

McGraw laughed, and walked over to the windows, Silver following him. 

“It is very admirable that you came here with Miss Elizabeth,” he said after a minute’s silence.

“Thank you, but it was really the least I could do,” Silver said, decidedly not thinking about his initial reaction to the proposal of going to Netherfield. 

“Speaking of whom, I think Bingley has news about the sister.”

For at that moment, Bingley and one of his sisters had re-entered the room and all heads turned to them.

“Miss Elizabeth expressed the wish to stay here with us for as long as it takes for her sister to get better,” he said. Silver guessed that Mrs. Bennet would sent him once again to Netherfield if he turned up at Longbourn without Elizabeth. Unwilling to be subjected to her trying to guilt trip him if he could avoid it, he asked if he might stay as well.

Bingley and Mr. Hurst were delighted by the idea of more company, and since the former was the current owner of the house the idea was fixed and Bingley had a member of staff show him around at once. On his way back down from his room he passed an open door, and heard Elizabeth’s voice speaking softly inside the room. He excused himself and knocked on the doorframe.

“Look, Jane, it’s Mr. Silver. He was too nice to come here with me, even though I think Mother rather pushed him a bit.”

Silver greeted Jane before turning to her sister. “I will be staying as well. I rather fancy that your mother would not like it if I left you alone here. Despite the fact that there are a number of attentive gentlemen around.”

Elizabeth seemed to understand what he was driving at, for she nodded with a half amused, half annoyed look on her face.

“You’re probably right. If you don’t mind, I have a few things to talk to Jane about now.”

Silver nodded and left the room to join the others in the drawing room again. He looked around for the lieutenant, but he was nowhere to be seen. Darcy caught his eye and explained that he had gone out for a walk in the garden. Unsure of what to do, he thanked Mr. Darcy, and then, instead of going outside himself, decided that it would be best to write to the Bennets to let them know of his and Elizabeth’s plans.

***

As Silver had expected, Mrs. Bennet was simply delighted by this turn of events. He would not have been surprised if she had gone so far as to send her other daughters along as well, but as it were, they remained in their original group for the next two weeks. 

Both Elizabeth and Silver used their time to get to know not only the inhabitants of Netherfield, but each other, too. They found that they had a lot in common besides enjoying being out of doors. He let her teach him about the history of the region and even considered picking up a novel that she recommended very warmly.

“If Mother could see us all friendly like this,” she said on their third day in the house, “I think she would burst. Positively burst!”

“Do you think it would be very cruel to get her hopes up a little more?” Silver laughed.

“I think that she gets her hopes up not matter what. Just to be certain, as things are right now I would probably say no if you proposed to me. You were not planning to do that today, were you? I’d hate to spoil the surprise for myself!”

Silver laughed again, and she broke into a giggle herself. He liked how she could get things to the point while still being able to make a joke out of it. As it turned out, this topic became their own private source of amusement from then on. Out of the others in their company, McGraw seemed to be the only one to pick up on it.

“Miss Elizabeth looks very good-spirited tonight,” he remarked to Silver one evening after supper. “Are congratulations in order?”

Silver almost choked on his drink, and quickly put the glass down. For some reason, when McGraw asked him outright like that, he felt like a child playing a stupid prank on a classmate.

“If that were the case,” he replied, coughing lightly, “I would be the last person who had a hand in the matter.”

“I see. Anyway, I think my friend Mr. Darcy over there would not be very happy if events took this turn.”

“Darcy?” Silver asked incredulously, “and Miss Elizabeth? Whatever gave you that idea?” 

“Let’s just say that despite all outward appearances, a patient observer can, in certain moments, see clear as day the way he looks at her. Pay attention to it and you’d be surprised how obvious some people can be, or how oblivious.”

Silver looked at him for a minute taking this in. “I didn’t know you were a student of human nature, lieutenant. Any other observations you’d like to share? I find this topic quite fascinating.”

In truth Silver just wanted to keep him talking so that he himself wouldn’t get another chance of embarrassment.

“Well, for a start I could tell you a thing or two about yourself, if you don’t mind.” Silver nodded for him to go on.

“You first look at the way the person holds themselves. I could see from your posture at the table that you were not entirely relaxed, but also not so eager to jump from your chair the second you were able to.”

“Because I was unsure about how I felt about the present company?” Silver suggested, trying to ignore the fact that the lieutenant was probably right.

“Could be. I’m not a mind reader, remember? Just an observer. Secondly,” he went on, “I noticed your interesting strategy at bridge a few nights ago. Making everyone believe that your were a poor player when in reality you can most likely calculate almost every move with quite an amount of attention. Then there are your observations about the Bennets the night of the dinner. You don’t seem to like them very much yet you stay with them because of what? Common decency? Respect for the late Mr. Collins? I’m still undecided about that point. Want to hear anything else?”

“I think that’s quite enough for one evening,” Silver said, and pointedly looked down at his drink. He imagined that he could still feel McGraw’s eyes on him for a minute, but then he started talking to Bingley about something concerning the gardens. 

The rest of the evening passed quickly, and just when Silver was on his way to his room McGraw managed to get hold of his arm and steered him a little away from the others.

“I’m sorry if I stepped out of line before,” he said, sounding genuinely anxious. “You understand that it was just facetious, nothing serious or judgemental, right?” 

“Of course,” Silver said quickly, “I know. I’m just not used to people watching me as closely is all.”

“Ah. Well, in that case, some people are missing out.” And with that he left Silver standing in the hallway, staring after him perplexedly and with his ears burning.

 

As soon as Jane was well again the Longbourn party left Netherfield, leaving them enough time to prepare for the ball and the other girls a chance to go into town for dresses and accessories. Silver had by that time taken up the habit of going on long walks in the morning, sometimes with Max but usually on his own. More often than not he went to the oak tree Elizabeth had talked about, and he found it did wonders for him just sitting there and thinking. 

One morning he met Darcy and McGraw during his walk, and they talked for a good half hour about various topics of interest. Darcy eventually excused himself and went on alone. 

“He does that sometimes,” McGraw explained, blinking in the sun when he looked after his friend. “Do you mind walking with me a bit?”

They continued on the way Silver had taken originally, which would lead them to Netherfield by way of an additional mile or so. 

“Do you take this way often?” McGraw asked after a few moments’ silence. 

“Have been for the last few days. It’s perfect if you have enough time and energy.” 

“You don’t suppose that one evening of ballroom dancing would fit into this walk? I’m asking for a friend.”

Silver laughed but admitted that he wasn’t sure about it, since that activity might stretch itself to what could feel like an eternity.

“Besides,” he said, “you wouldn’t want to leave your friends alone in that endeavour now, would you?”

“Oh believe me, they could survive perfectly fine without me there to hold their hands and constantly tell them that they would be fine with one more glass of champagne. Bingley especially, seeing that his relationship with Miss Jane is progressing so well.”

“You know what, I somehow have the feeling that you are on an equal level with Mrs. Bennet when it comes to matchmaking,” Silver said drily.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” McGraw retorted, laughing. “Perhaps I just have the right eyes for something like that.” He paused for a moment. “Why do you say that? Do you need me to set you up with someone for the ball?” 

A quick glance in his direction told Silver that this was most likely a joke, but that didn’t stop his mind from going into a rather interesting direction. 

“Well, Mrs. Bennet would be heartbroken if it was anybody besides one of her daughters,” he said cautiously, testing the waters. “So if the fancy strikes you, maybe don’t make it too obvious?”

McGraw clicked his tongue and said, “I think I can manage that. Anybody in particular you were thinking of?”

“Well, not really. I think it would be rather more fun for you to make the choice. As a surprise maybe?” 

“I’ll see what I can come up with,” he said and grinned. Silver was about to say something else when they heard voices on the path a few steps ahead.

“Damn it,” McGraw muttered, and Silver had to suppress a laugh. The Hursts were just coming round the corner, Mrs. Hurst on her husband’s arm, chatting away rapidly. When they saw them she waved cheerfully and pulled Mr. Hurst with her.

“What a pleasant surprise!” she said when they had said hello. “I was beginning to wonder where all the people in the house had gone, with there being so much to prepare for the ball!”

“My dear, I’m sure we have done quite enough in the last few days, the result will be simply splendid. Mr. Silver, help me out here,” he said in a mockingly pleading tone.

“Why, I can imagine that it will look very nice,” he said vaguely. 

“Very nice!” Mrs. Hurst said, “it will be fantastic. Be sure to make the most of the evening. You too, my dear,” she said to McGraw, “even though I have a feeling that you and Darcy will spent the whole night amongst yourselves.”

McGraw shrugged his shoulders and smiled apologetically. Silver wanted to laugh.

“Were you on your way back to the house?” Mr. Hurst asked.

“I was, actually,” McGraw said. He turned to Silver. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yes, yes. Be sure to think about what we just talked about,” Silver said, smirking.

“I will,” he said and gave him a quick wink before joining the other two on their way back to Netherfield.

Silver stood there for a second staring after him, then he too turned and walked back to Longbourn.

 

***

The ballroom at Netherfield was even more impressively arranged than any of the Bennet girls could have imagined. Even Silver, who was still not very keen on the whole idea, had to admit that the staff had accomplished a tremendous feat in all aspects. The orchestra was not too loud but also not too much in the background, the space was well-lit and airy despite the many people moving about the place, and there was plenty of food and drink. 

The girls were off immediately, almost brimming over with excitement. Silver was left with Mr. Bennet, and the talked for a few minutes, his host making the occasional introductions. Max didn’t remain at his side for long because there was a noticeable crowd of young men waiting to ask her for a dance. A tall, lean man who had arrived with a bored-looking woman eventually made it, and she disappeared into the crowd. Silver watched the man’s original partner staring at them from across the room, ad he remembered McGraw’s words from the week before. After a few minutes he was sure that the woman was exceptionally jealous of Max, and he made a mental note of warning his friend soon.

“There they are!” Mr. Bennet suddenly exclaimed, and sure enough, the inhabitants of Netherfield had come into view. Bingley and his sisters had to put up with receiving congratulations on the successful event, while Darcy and McGraw remained in the background talking amongst themselves. Mr. Hurst was nowhere to be seen.

“I must say, you really outdid yourselves tonight, “Mrs. Bennet said warmly to the Bingleys as soon as they were free for a moment. “My girls are so very happy that you kept your promise!”

“We are as well,” Miss Bingley replied, “it’s so good to get to know one’s neighbours a bit better this way, wouldn’t you agree?” She sounded a bit too enthusiastic to be genuinely of that opinion, but it didn’t concern Silver much. He had caught McGraw’s eye, and the latter murmured something to Mr. Darcy before coming over to him, a drink in his hand.

“You’re looking well,” he remarked, steering them away a little from the rest of the group.

“So do you, considering the circumstances” Silver said, and grabbed a glass for himself from a waiter in order to have something else to direct his attention to. “Even though you don’t look overly fond of dancing.”

“Not with my leg being as it is at present, I’m afraid,” McGraw sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “But maybe another time.”

Silver was just about to open his mouth and say that it hadn’t meant to sound like an invitation, but then he thought better of it. Grinning devilishly he said, “Supposing you were able to, what sort of dance do you like?”

It didn’t escape him that McGraw’s eyes twinkled a little as he considered, and the laughter in his voice when he answered was hard to ignore.

“I have nothing against being in a group with others, but I find that dancing as a pair is the most peaceful and enjoyable variant,” he said.

Silver hummed in agreement, trying his best not to look too distracted by these words. It was his own fault; he had asked about it after all. Still, he couldn’t help but wish that all of a sudden everyone else in the room would disappear, just for a little while. When he looked up again he saw that McGraw was looking at him expectantly. He had obviously just asked him a question, and Silver’s face grew red in an effort to piece it together.

“Sorry, what did you say?” he asked sheepishly, and the lieutenant laughed. 

“It’s nothing, forget it,” he said.

He was still smiling, so Silver didn’t worry about having offended him. 

“Listen, I would love to discuss this matter some other time, and perhaps somewhere more private. Do you have any plans in the next week or so?”

“I don’t, no,” Silver said, feeling a new blush creep up his neck and face. “Just say the word and we’ll fix a day for it.”

“Fantastic. Let’s see, I’ll be back here on the 9th, so what about the 10th?”

“Back here? Forgive me for prying, but are you leaving Netherfield for a while?”

McGraw looked down at his feet for a moment before he faced him again. “Yes, I have been called to London for a short time. I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I didn’t -,” he broke off, visibly uncomfortable. “I wanted to let you know sooner, but I wasn’t sure when and how.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Silver said in a lighter tone than he was feeling, “after all, it’s only for a few days. And thank you for telling me.” He said that last bit in a low voice. 

“John!” a voice near them suddenly called. They both looked up to see Max coming towards them, her partner and the woman who had been watching them in tow. 

“John, this is Mr. Jack Rackham and Miss Bonny. This is John Silver, the friend I was telling you about?”

They greeted each other, and when that was done Silver looked around for McGraw, but he had disappeared to another part of the room. He tried to look less disappointed than he felt, and joined the conversation between the other three rather half-heartedly. Rackham he thought was an odd fellow, his sarcastic sense of humour making him stand out almost even more than his fashion choices. His companion on the other hand didn’t talk much but seemed to contend herself with assessing the other three with judgemental glances. Silver felt that this was a woman he was better off not to cross, but Max seemed to have taken quite a liking to her. 

“Max, what do you say we take the next dance,” he asked her after a few minutes of polite conversation. “If you don’t mind,” he added to Rackham.

“I was planning to take a break anyway,” he said. “It has been an honour.” He took Max’ hand and kissed it lightly. Then he and Miss Bonny made their way to the nearest door and were soon out of sight.

Silver and Max waited until the music for the current dance had died down and then he pulled her with him into the middle of the room. As it turned out she was quite experienced in this, moving gracefully to and fro. He spun her around a few times, making them both laugh, until the music became slower and more solemn. 

“You look distracted,” she said after some time. “I didn’t interrupt anything just now, did I?”

“What? No, of course not.” It sounded like a bad attempt even to himself.

She smiled at him. “You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say that he is currently staring at me, but he is making it somewhat obvious.“ 

Silver pointedly did not follow her gaze over his shoulder, and tried his best not to stare when they had turned around. He didn't want to lose the last bit of his concentration and accidentally step on Max’ foot or anything. They ended the dance with a dip, something Silver had always believed he could do but had never had the opportunity to actually try. It must have looked passable, because the next thing he knew people were applauding all around them. Max laughed and bowed while Silver’s eyes searched the crowd aimlessly. 

His heart jumped to his throat when he caught McGraw's eye and he raised his eyebrows at him approvingly. After an attempt to smile back Silver felt himself blush and looked back to Max. She winked at him and started to move to the next piece of music, pulling him with her as she went.

***

The day of the appointed meeting couldn’t come fast enough to Silver. He felt that his nervousness and impatience manifested themselves in the Bennet household, and became evident in even bigger escapades of shopping and talking about officers on Lydia’s part and an increased tiredness on everybody else’s. At the very least the weather had finally turned, the rain making way for a warm breeze and hours of sunshine.

“You must have found your peace with Zeus then,” Max whispered to him facetiously on the morning of the 10th. 

“That, or we have all been eating a lot better than before,” was Silver’s reply. He was sitting in the drawing room, the rest of the family having spread out about the house after breakfast. Max herself was waiting for the two older sisters to accompany them to town for some errands they had to run. 

She clicked her tongue. “With your luck the lieutenant will be sunburnt before the two of you make it a mile in this weather.”

Silver laughed, but fell to nervous fiddling again as soon as Max left him alone in the room to join Jane and Elizabeth outside. She turned to the window once more and smiled at him encouragingly, a gesture which he could only return half-heartedly. Instead of pacing up and down the room he decided to finally take up Mr. Bennet’s offer and headed for the library. He was quick to ignore the volumes on political theory and history, and was just browsing the few novels on the shelves when Turner appeared in the open door.

“Lieutenant McGraw here to see you, sir,” he announced. “I showed him into the drawing room.”

Silver, successfully avoiding to jump at the name, thanked him and followed Turner out into the hall. The short distance between the two rooms suddenly seemed to be a hundred miles long. When he finally reached the door he hesitated entering. McGraw was sitting with his back to him, his whole posture one of relaxation and comfort. His head was tilted slightly to one side, and Silver mentally completed the picture by imagining his eyes closed and listening to the small noises of the house. 

When he took a step forward into the room a floorboard creaked underneath his feet, and he almost flinched. 

“There you are,” McGraw said, turning around on the sofa. His tone was mockingly reproachful, and his eyes laughed at Silver. 

Silver didn’t notice Parker leaving them, but he was suddenly very much aware of the two of them being alone together in the small room. 

“Alas, getting ready somehow proved to be a special nuisance this morning,” he sighed theatrically, taking a few steps forward so that they were face to face.

“I’m sure it did. What’s that you’ve got there?”

Surprised at it himself Silver noticed that he must have picked out a book after all. A glance at the spine and a bit of imagination would do the trick, he thought and threw the book to his guest who caught it easily.

“Ovid’s Metamorphoses? I didn’t know this interested you.”

“I didn’t either, but there’s no harm in exploring new literary territory every once in a while is there?”

McGraw grinned and flipped through the pages. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was beginning to doubt you were even willing to pick up a book just for pleasure.”

“Maybe I was inspired,” Silver retorted, and feeling reckless he added, “and besides, I know of other things besides books if I want pleasure.”

He doubted he was imagining the faint blush that appeared on the lieutenant’s cheeks, but he wasn’t prepared for him holding Silver’s gaze in the way that he did. When they finally looked away McGraw returned once more to the book, and Silver wandered over to the window, feeling an immense amount of boyish excitement.

“‘He stretched his arms to hold her - to be held - and clasped, poor soul, naught but the yielding air. And she, dying again, made no complaint (for what complaint had she save she was loved?) and breathed a faint farewell, and turned again back to the land of spirits whence she came.’ I can never make up my mind of whose fate was more cruel, hers or his.”

“What?” 

“Orpheus and Eurydice? You’ve picked the book, but apparently it has yet to get your interest.”

Silver nodded, distracted by both his choice of words and the look he gave him when he said them. Upstairs he could hear footsteps and he decided that waiting around for much longer was not the ideal way to go about things. 

“Would you mind if we left right now? I’m afraid we’re going to miss too much of that precious sunlight if we stay indoors like this,” Silver said. 

McGraw looked like he wanted to suggest staying just to annoy him. There was a bright twinkle in his eyes that Silver found very hard to ignore. 

“Lead the way then,” he replied and got up. 

Very much aware of the lieutenant’s eyes on his back, Silver left the house and started on the garden path. He took a deep breath of fresh air once the door fell shut behind them, and even whistled a quiet tune when they made their way to the stables. The Netherfield horse on which McGraw had arrived here was being tended to by one of the stable boys, who was anxious to see them both approaching.

“Don’t fuss about it too much,” Silver said, “it’s not like we’re taking them on a days’ long journey.”

Saddling and mounting the horses turned out to be a quick affair, and before the boy was able to stammer a nervous farewell they were on their way towards the forest. Silver, only a little more versed in the environment than his companion, stayed a few paces in front, turning his face towards the sun from time to time and enjoying the wind whipping around him. He felt better and more relaxed than he had in weeks.

“You look as if you are going to fall asleep any moment,” McGraw called from behind him. 

“Better keep up then to save my from my fatal fall,” was Silver’s reply. He made his horse break into a gallop, but McGraw was quick to do the same and overtook him easily. When he turned to look at Silver there was a challenge written clearly on his face, and Silver accepted without thinking. They raced along the path next to the river, scaring a few water birds into flight, and finally reached the top of the hill Silver had promised offered a fantastic view over the landscape. 

Silver slid off of the horse’s back, landing rather ungracefully in the long grass. Behind him McGraw, despite his bad leg, looked the picture of elegance getting his feet on solid ground again.

“What is it?” he asked when he noticed Silver was staring at him.

“Nothing. Come on, let’s go.”

 

They left the horses to their own devices, trusting the stable boy’s word that they wouldn’t try and run away. When the oak Silver had seen the other day came into view he started walking faster. Somehow this situation felt more real now than it had before, and he was once again anxious not to waste another minute. 

“Are you all right? You look nervous?” McGraw asked when he had caught up with him.

“Me? Not a bit?” Silver wanted to shove him for the look McGraw gave him, but instead he opted for sinking into the grass with his back against the trunk of the tree. 

“You know, when you first suggested this,” McGraw said with a sweep of his hand, “I expected something different.”

“You mean something better? Nicer?”

“Do you even listen to me? I said different.”

McGraw sat down less than two feet from Silver, put his head back and closed his eyes. Neither of them spoke for a while, and when Silver glanced over to see if the lieutenant had fallen asleep, he saw that he was watching him.

When he returned his gaze Silver realised that this might just as well be it, and he leaned closer, his heart pounding in his chest so fast he thought it might burst.

McGraw looked confused at first, but seemed to understand soon because he too sat up, reaching out a hand to balance himself on Silver’s shoulder. When their lips met Silver felt all other thoughts leave his brain with the exception of ‘why did I wait so long?’ He sighed, and felt McGraw shift underneath him. They broke apart only to begin to kiss again as soon as they had found a more comfortable position. Silver swept his tongue over the lieutenant’s bottom lip and deepened the kiss when he opened his mouth, drawing little noises of pleasure out of them both.

Just as Silver had started to wonder how they could go on like this with the little air that they had left, McGraw broke away and inhaled deeply. Silver, feeling beyond exhilaration at this turn of events, copied him, leaning back on his elbows and smiling like a child on Christmas morning.

“That’s not exactly what I meant by different, but I’m glad you decided it was time to change this up a bit.”

Silver laughed, still not believing that this had just happened. “Well, perhaps it is was I meant by better and nicer.”

His heart skipped when McGraw smiled wider than he had ever seen him do before. All the weeks they’ve known each other felt like mere minutes in the scale of this moment, and Silver would be the last man on earth to complain if the world stopped spinning this very second. He leaned over and kissed the corner of McGraw’s mouth, and moving from there to his neck experimentally. The little shudder that this earned him encouraged him to keep going, but when he reached the spot just beneath the other’s ear he felt a hand on his chest, pushing lightly but firmly. He pulled away immediately, but McGraw didn’t look too uncomfortable. If anything he had a bright look in his eyes and a flush on his face that Silver could swear he would be unable to forget any time soon. 

“As much as I am enjoying this,” he breathed, “I think it would be best if we continued this sometime and someplace else.”

Not it was Silver’s turn to go scarlet, and he said innocently, “Why, Mr. McGraw, I have absolutely no idea what you are referring to.”

“James. Please call me that from now on.”

Silver nodded, and laid back in the grass. “James,” he said, testing out the name and finding that it came to him easier than he would have thought at first.

They stayed like this, side by side in the shade of the leaves above them, occasionally exchanging a few words about nothing in particular but mostly enjoying each other’s company in silence. Silver couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so comfortable not speaking for such a long time.

When the sun started to make its way to the western horizon he stirred, and nudged James’ foot with his own.

“What do you say we had back now and have dinner? I’m positively starving.”

James nodded and got up, then offered his hand to Silver. He took it, and this small gesture almost felt even more meaningful than the kiss had done. They fetched the horses and rode side by side on their way back to Longbourn, chatting a little every now and then about nothing in particular.

***

They passed the next two weeks in a bubble of their own, both feeling happy and elated at this turn of events. Silver spent hours at Netherfield, and even though Mrs. Bennet was looking sour because of it, her husband tried to console her by arguing that it was wonderful that their guest had found such a good friend. When he said this over dinner one evening both Silver and Max had to try their hardest not to break into a fit of laughter. Max, Silver was happy to hear, had progressed with Anne in a romantic direction as well, and the two were seeing just as much of each other as Silver and James were. 

But despite every good thing that had happened since he had come to Longbourn, he felt that there was something lurking around the corner, something with the potential to disturb the peace and easy way of living he had experienced for the last few weeks. It came in the form of a letter from London, which James opened on evening when they were alone together in the Netherfield drawing room. A shadow passed over his face, and Silver knew instinctively that he didn’t want him to see the contents. But since had that stopped him before?

“Something the matter?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“No,” James replied, but he bit his lip nervously. “Well, nothing serious at least.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but perhaps it’ll help?”

The look James gave him at that made Silver sit up straighter, and put down his cup of tea.

“They need me in London for an important meeting.”

“Alright, that doesn’t sound so bad. It’s not like you need to travel around half the world,” Silver said as lightly as he could. That look still hadn’t gone from James’ face.

“And they write that the stay may be for an indefinite amount of time. That could mean months depending on how this situation develops.”

“Oh,” was all Silver could say. Oh.

“I’ll have to leave immediately, in two days at the latest. But if -,” he was interrupted by Bingley coming into the room, who stopped short the second he saw them.

“Good god, McGraw, you both look as if your house just burnt down! Is everything all right?”

Silver could tell that he wasn’t going to confide in Bingley the same way as he had just done in him. A strange sense of pride came over him at that, even though he felt guilty for it at the same time.

“I’m very sorry, but I’m afraid I must go up to the city for some time. Would you be so kind as to arrange everything for my departure the day after tomorrow?” His voice sounded detached, like he was speaking to a business associate and not a friend.

“My dear Mr. McGraw, that’s bad news indeed!” Bingley cried, “but surely you’ll write to us regularly, won’t you?”

James looked to Silver for a brief moment before answering that yes, of course he would do that. Bingley was off to let the others know of this unfortunate turn of events, and the silence that followed after the door had closed seemed so fragile that even Silver didn’t dare disturb it. Eventually he suggested that they could arrange for a final meeting on James’ last day at Netherfield, just a few hours for the two of them.

“It sounds so definite when you say it like that,” James said, but he agreed to the idea. 

“I just don’t want to say goodbye now and then come up with something much better to say in the next two days,” Silver said, trying to sound light-hearted. 

After this there was really nothing much left to say, and as much as Silver wanted all of this to be simply a dream that could be laughed at in the morning he understood that there was still the chance of none of this being a thing of definity. 

***

Two days later he was helping James into his carriage in front of Netherfield, the rest of the inhabitants of the house having already said their goodbyes. Silver had half a mind to jump into the thing as well and be done with all of this, but he just handed the last of the bags into it and then took a step back. 

“I’ll write to you as soon as I can,” James promised. He made sure that the driver was out of sight before taking one of Silver’s hands into his own and pressing a quick kiss on his knuckles. 

Silver nodded and raised his other hand to brush a strand of hair behind James’ ear. His fingers rested on his cheek, and he leaned in for a kiss. He tried not to make this feel like a goodbye but more of a farewell. There was a difference, he was sure. There had to be.

James pulled away first, then let go of Silver’s hand. Stepping away from the carriage Silver didn’t wave, only held his gaze until the driver returned and they were off. As soon as they had rounded the first corner he turned away, and walked back to Longbourn, feeling exhausted and ready to fall into his bed and stay there for a week.

***

As he had said, James wrote to him on the evening of his arrival in the city. Silver got the letter one morning, and restrained himself from opening it before be was alone in his room again. It didn’t say much since nothing had happened yet, but he drank in the words nonetheless. He wanted to write back, but it took him hours to come up with anything to say. Everything in the Bennet house seemed so insignificant all of a sudden that he considered making something up just for the hell of it. In the end he managed two pages, which wasn’t too bad. He closed it with ‘I miss you’, and as soon as he had written these words he felt their weight and meaning crash down on him at once. 

That night, as he was sitting in the drawing room with Max and Elizabeth, he said that he wanted to take one of the horses the following day, just for a few hours. Max offered to accompany him since she wanted to go see Miss Bonny in town, and he happily consented. She hadn’t brought up the topic of James leaving yet, having wanted to give him some time. But he was glad she was coming with him, since it would feel a bit more like old times. 

They met at the stables early the next morning, and the sounds of a commotion made Max raise her eyebrows at him questioningly. 

“Is everything all right in here?” she called out, but received no answer.

“Be careful,” Silver said as she briskly walked towards the noise, which he by now was sure were being caused by a horse rearing up before coming down hard on the ground. 

“Who’s there?” he suddenly heard the frightened voice of the stable boy, and Max quickly told him. “Don’t come any closer, it’s too dangerous!”

“That applies to you, too,” Max said. She came to a halt in front of a closed stable door behind which Silver saw a new horse rearing once more, its head moving wildly from side to side. The boy tried to calm it down as best as he could, but it was to no avail. He darted out of the stable and threw the door closed behind him, but he wasn’t fast enough. As soon as it had realised there was a way out, the horse took the opportunity of following the boy and making for the outside.

Silver tried to get to Max to pull her out of the way, but his foot caught on an uneven stone in the floor and he fell before he could reach her. Even as he hit the ground he knew that there was no time to get up and away before the animal had passed him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. 

But it was too late - at first he didn’t even realise that there had been an impact because he was too distracted by Max and the stable boy screaming and rushing to his side to acknowledge much else. When he looked down the length of his body however and saw the state of his left leg, everything else around him disappeared. A scream started to build up in his chest but it wouldn’t come out. He heard himself make a choking sound after what felt like minutes of lying there, felt hands on his face for some reason. Then everything went white.

 

He fell in and out of consciousness several times, Max told him later. Even though the doctor came as soon as he could she felt like they had spent days in that stable, she and the boy trying to keep him with them. 

She also told him that they had to remove a part of the leg because of the tricky nature of the injury as well as the danger of catching an infection. He could only nod at this piece of news, but the real realisation came a few days later. The whole thing still seemed unreal, like somebody else’s dream he had read about. Every day when he woke up, sometimes at five in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, he was certain that nothing was wrong, but a small chance movement brought back the memories each and every time.

***

The worst thing at first wasn’t the pain, even though it hurt more than he thought he could bear. It wasn’t even the pitying looks some of the Bennets cast him whenever they came into his room. No, the worst thing by far was the idea that now that something as horrible as this had happened, there was really no telling at all as to what fate could have in store for him beyond that.

Silver had never been one to look much into the future beyond maybe the next day or two. Every employment he’d had, well, he would just stick around until whenever. But now it seemed as if he couldn’t stop thinking ahead, thinking about how bad it would get next week, in six months, or ten years if he made it that far. He didn’t speak to anybody about this, not even to Max, who spent more time with him than anyone else in the house.

It was her who told him how to best apply the various salves and who tried everything she could to cheer him up when the rest of the family couldn’t bear to be in a room with him for more than five minutes.

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?“ he asked her one day after she had brought their tea up to his room. “The stares. I sometimes imagine can feel them staring even when they just walk past the door.”

“John,” Max sighed, “I know what that feels like, believe me. But I also know that the more you obsess over it the realer it becomes. And I’m not trying to tell you to stop thinking about it altogether, but that you have so many other things that could be on your mind as well.”

“Perhaps I want to know what’s on your mind right now,” he said. “How is Anne? Are she and Rackham still in town?”

She smiled and ducked her head. “They are, and Mrs. Bennet is still a regular guest with Jack. I doubt that she will ever give up on the idea of him and one of the girls being married.”

They both laughed and joked around about other things that has been going on in Meryton, which admittedly was not much but which still provided a welcome distraction. 

Silver began getting out of bed just a few weeks after the accident, much to the concern of the local doctor. The crutch that had been provided for him felt at times like it challenged him to be used, so he tried, day after day, walking more and more confidently from his bed to the door and back. But with every improvement he made he felt like he could be doing something more, which was probably a line of thinking Max would disapprove of he he told her about it, but which he was unable to let go of completely.

It helped that summer had at last come around, because he didn’t want to think about how this might have turned out in the dead of winter with nowhere to go. Now at least he could look forward to trying a few steps outside soon. With the help of either the doctor or Max he even managed a few steps on the stairs, but it took him almost another two weeks until he set foot on the gravel path in front of the house. But when he did, it was glorious. The air was warm but not oppressively hot, birds were singing in the trees around the house, and the softer ground was a welcome change. 

“Just say the word when you want to go back inside,” Max said after they had sat down on a nearby bench.

He nodded, closed his eyes and leaned his face up towards the sun. Had there ever before been a time when he had appreciated it just sitting there in the sky as much as he did now? Had there been for anyone? 

After a while he could tell that Max was getting increasingly nervous about something. She shifted around on the bench and picked at her fingernails.

“Is something the matter?” he asked, and looked at her, concerned.

“Well, I know how adamant you were about not letting the lieutenant know about what happened here, but,” she broke off when she saw his face.

“Did anyone write to him? Was it Bingley?” he tried his best not to raise his voice; it wasn’t her fault after all.

“It was Mr. Bennet. He told me this morning. John, please don’t get mad, he just did what he thought was best!”

“And what did he think that would accomplish? That he comes here and then what? Takes me away with him so that I won’t be a burden on him anymore?” 

Max looked at him as if she knew the real reason for his anger. And of course she would know, because she always knew everything. If that letter had already arrived in London there was not a bit of doubt left that it would just put even more pressure on James than he was already under. He would feel obligated to do something about this situation despite probably knowing very well that there was nothing to be done. 

“He would have been worried about you not replying to his letters for the last few weeks, John. You know how easily he starts worrying about something, better than anyone.”

“That’s not an excuse I can accept. Bennet had no right getting involved like this, and I bet he knows it.” He paused and looked back at the house. “Max, I’m leaving this place as soon as I can. You don’t have to come with me. In fact I don’t want you to if that isn’t what you really want.”

She looked away, but he had seen the tears in her eyes. “What about the inheritance? About the family?”

“Bennet is fit as a fiddle, and he will stay that way for a long time. I wouldn’t get that house anytime soon unless I killed him myself.” She didn’t look particularly shocked at his words, so he went on, “and with regards to the girls, well, I’ll just rewrite the will and say it’s a revised copy that has just recently been found and which replaces the old one immediately. They can have it, I don’t care about this house any longer.”

“But where will you go? Think about that for just one moment, please. Where could you possibly go?”

“Just away. Who knows, maybe an inn will hire me as a cook, or I could go to America and live out the rest of my life in jolly old New York.” He realised how bitter he sounded, but he couldn’t stop thinking about this. “Besides, with this,” he said, getting up and looking down at his crutch, “it will be some time before anything even happens.”

Max didn’t reply, and followed him, still wordlessly, back inside the house.

 

Silver didn’t say a word to Mr. Bennet for the next week, and the old man seemed to be completely blind to him in return. Despite his fears, James had not come back to Longbourn, hadn’t even replied to Bennet’s letter. Silver was undecided as to if this was a good sign or not. On the upside of things, his anger had triggered a burst of motivation and he was making good deals of progress every day. He almost started crying from the sheer relief of making it down the stairs on his own, one Sunday morning while the others were away at church. 

Max had started seeing more of Anne again, and he was glad for it, he truly was. Sometimes Rackham would accompany her to Longbourn, but Silver didn’t speak much to him either. Elizabeth and Jane were away more often as well, the former with Darcy at his estate and Jane at Netherfield. The relative peace of this arrangement was interrupted one day by a letter that arrived for Mr. Bennet. 

“Mr. Silver, it seems as if the lieutenant is on his way here as we speak. His superiors regret having to let him go for a while, but he told them he would have to leave them as soon as possible.” Bennet didn’t look too happy about this turn of events, but he hid it very well. 

Silver sat up immediately. This was even worse than he had expected. A few days to prepare for this visit would have made things easier for sure, but from the sound of it James would be arriving here by tomorrow at the latest. 

It didn’t take him that long after all. Silver was already upstairs in his room again, ready to try and get at least a few hours of sleep when he heard the door being opened by Turner. Quick footsteps on the stairs, quicker than anyone had walked them up in weeks. They stopped just outside his door. Silver bit his lip, and felt tears threatening to run down his face. Maybe if James thought that he was asleep he would go away.

But there was the knock on the door, and suddenly Silver didn’t have the heart to go on like this anymore. He called that he could come in, and when the door opened just a fraction, the first tear came. He sniffed and quickly wiped it away with his hand.

“John, I’m so sorry for what has happened,” James said as soon as he was in the room. He immediately sat down on the chair next to his bed which Max usually occupied, and took one of his hands into his own. Silver couldn’t look at him at first, and stared at the ceiling so hard he feared it might collapse and bury them alive.

“Don’t say that. There’s nothing you could have done.” God, his voice sounded close to breaking.

“There might have been! If I had been here, if that damned letter hadn’t gotten lost and had reached me sooner, there might have been.”

“Lost? What do you mean? When did Bennet send it?” This was getting worse every second. The hot anger boiling up inside of him didn’t mix well with his attempt not to cry. 

“As soon as you woke up. God, John, he told me that you could walk fine by now with the crutch, but that must have taken weeks, didn’t it?”

“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.”

James looked intently at him then, and brought up a hand to his face. “Look at me, please. Just look at me.”

He did, and when their eyes met Silver couldn’t hold back anymore. James pulled him into his arms when he started shaking from all the emotions trying to break free at once, and he held him for as long as Silver needed to. He murmured something into his hair, and didn’t let go until he felt Silver calm down. 

“I know this is a bad moment to bring this up, but I met Max downstairs and she told me something that you told her a few days ago, about you leaving Longbourn for good? Is that true?”

“You doubt that I can do it?” Silver asked, and James quickly shook his head. “It is true. There’s nothing for me here now.”

James bit his lip, and seemed to think something over in his mind very quickly. 

“Maybe you’re right. But do you have any idea where you might be going?”

“I’ll find something, don’t you worry about that.”

“What if I told you that you wouldn’t have to go looking for someplace to go? What if the Navy wanted me back in London permanently, but that my flat in town can get a little lonely sometimes?”

Silver couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You can’t be serious about this.”

“Think about it. In London you are sure to find some type of work somewhere, maybe even with the people I was assigned to work with, some lord or other. Please, John, just try and see where I’m coming from.”

“Some lord?”

“I’ll explain later, I haven’t met him yet either.”

Silver hesitated. “You’d do all of that for me?”

 

“John, I want you there. I want you by my side while I get back to my old life. I want you to get a chance of a new one. I don’t want to have to worry about you being in a place where I can never know if you are well. I want to help you get better and I want to be there for you when you’re not.”

He had taken his hand again and was gently drawing small circles on the back of it with his thumb. “If you don’t want to come with me, at least let me help you to set you up somewhere safe.”

“You’re serious about this?”

 

“More serious than I’ve ever been about anything. I promise that we will make this work.”

Silver didn’t reply, he couldn’t. He just nodded, and when he had gathered himself enough he said, “I wonder if you had been planning this for longer than that.”

James laughed, and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose I must have, without even being aware of it. It just seems like the right thing to do.”

They didn’t talk much more after that, but settled into a comfortable silence that wasn’t disturbed once.

 

James stayed at Netherfield for his short leave, but spent most of his time at Longbourn. When they had informed the Bennets of the plan, Elizabeth and Jane were the only ones who showed genuine upset about seeing Silver go. The next morning he pretended to have gotten a letter with a revised version of Mr. Collins’ will, which he and Max had written just the night before. Mrs. Bennet couldn’t believe her luck, and Silver quickly talked Mr. Bennet out of the idea of consulting a legal representative.

Max decided that she would stay with Anne and Rackham, and later on choose what she would do next. On the day of their departure she promised to write him whenever there was any news, and he did the same. With the Bennet family there weren’t really any tears to be shed about this farewell. Silver would miss Jane and Elizabeth, but if he was being honest with himself he was glad to leave the rest of them behind. 

Once they were settled in their carriage however, a new wave of doubt came over him. He couldn’t imagine how they could possibly make this work, but then again, he was more than willing to try. James talked a little about this lord they had to meet in town first thing the next day, and he wanted Silver to be there as well.

“I could use your persuasion in case he is one of those people who will only really listen to their own ideas being repeated to them,” he said.

“Don’t act like you could do that just as well,” Silver replied, but he said he would come along.

The journey took them only one night, and by dawn they had arrived in James’ flat, which was small but comfortable enough for Silver. He slept a few hours, and then they were on their way to the heart of the city. They took their time, mainly because of the crutch, but also because James pointed out a few noteworthy buildings or streets whenever they passed them. After some time and several breaks they reached an immense building in front of which a group of men were waiting and talking amongst themselves. James approached one of them assuredly, Silver following close behind. 

“Lord Thomas Hamilton?” he asked.

When the man turned around and looked at them both Silver didn't make any assessment as to his character or his political views, or even his sense of style. The only thing that came to his mind was that this man, in this moment, had the face of the future.


End file.
